You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
